A review of turtle by-catch in the western and central Pacific Ocean tuna fisheries : draft

Abstract

The western and central Pacific Ocean (WCPO –Pacific Ocean west of 150°W) currently supports the largest industrial tuna fishery in the world, with much of the catch coming from the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) of Pacific-Island countries. Marine turtles may be taken as by -catch within this wide area. This review focuses on the issues of incidental marine turtle catch in the WCPO tuna fisheries based on information currently available to the Oceanic Fisheries Programme (OFP) of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC). Various forms of tuna fishery information and data held by the OFP have been compiled, analysed and presented in a form providing some indications of the extent of marine turtle encounters in the WCPO tuna fisheries.